Farmers Market

Opening day marked by new, familiar, fresh

The Market season has started. Last weekend was a flurry of activity, great warm weather (the smoke even cleared in the afternoon) and lots of produce, starts and crafts.

There were plenty of familiar and new things to take in. Everyone got to try out the new layout and see the familiar faces of the vendors. The Market opened with the familiar sounds of Shamwari Marimba and then in the afternoon the stage was graced with the random appearance of a gypsy jazz band, the Hot Club of Nunaka Valley, performing later that day in Seldovia.

The Homer Farmers Market info tent buzzed with folks getting their familiar Market tokens and getting the new stainless steel water bottles with the new Market design. While there, folks could meet the Market’s newest employee, Margarida Kondak, as she helped answer questions.

What truly attracts folks to the Market is not just what’s familiar or new, but what’s fresh. Seeing all the little starts ready to go into the ground gets every gardener excited, but those farmers who are already selling ready-to-eat produce amaze us all.

One of the mainstay producer booths at the Market that is always full of an array of fresh and beautiful produce is Luba’s Garden. Belonging to Dan and Luba Dorvall, this produce has been coming to us since 2007 from their home up in Nikolaevsk.

Though they are growing food on less than two acres, they have added two small high tunnels that have extended their season a great deal.

Meticulously organized, they keep track of when and what they sell, so that they not only keep track of the seasonality but also the demand. They will have their nine varieties of potatoes later in the summer but now have radishes, turnips, spinach, greens, spring garlic and onions, herbs like cilantro and dill as well as chokecherry trees and chive plants.

Come on down to the Homer Farmers Market this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to pick from the offerings at Luba’s Garden as well as all the rest — that which is new, that which is familiar and, of course, that which is fresh.

Kyra Wagner is the director of Sustainable Homer and the Homer Farmers Market’s biggest fan.